


The Bogeyman in the Cave

by franscats



Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Gen, Spook Me Multi-Fandom Halloween Ficathon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 06:00:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21174578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/franscats/pseuds/franscats
Summary: Jim and Blair explore an old house looking for papers written by Burton.  Blair finds something else in the house.





	The Bogeyman in the Cave

**Author's Note:**

> This was done for the Spook Me Ficathon.  
The following (very scary) prompt was used: https://images52.fotki.com/v1552/photos/6/3814576/16026379/umblr_pxfuvjMIKA1r2p7cpo1_1280-vi.jpg

The Boogeyman in the Cave

Blair Sandburg glanced up from the grading he had been doing at the dining room table and looked into the living room where Jim Ellison was sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper. It was a quiet Friday evening and both men were home and looking forward to a weekend off. That was, of course, if Blair could get his grades in tonight. Blair had been at the table for the last two hours reading his advanced anthropology class’ essays.

“Did your class live up to your expectations?” Jim asked. Jim knew Blair was an exceptional teacher and the students in his advanced classes usually made an extra effort for one of their favorite teachers.

“Mostly,” Blair nodded with some satisfaction. “A couple of students slacked off and will need a bit more work but for the most part they got it.”

“Then you’ve got the weekend free?” Jim asked.

“Free and clear,” Blair confirmed. “You still have off, right? Simon hasn’t called you in or anything?” Big blue eyes looked at Jim with a bit of insecurity.

“Free and clear,” Jim repeated Blair’s words with a smile. “I’ve got Saturday and Sunday free and clear.”

“And you’re still okay with checking out the old Mitchell Estate?” Blair asked, a bit more cautiously knowing it would not be on Jim’s top ten list of things to do. Since it was fall, Halloween right around the corner, the air had turned damp and chilly so Jim wouldn’t want to go camping but Blair was sure there were things he would rather do than wander around a dusty old building.

“The old Mitchell Estate,” Jim nodded. “Yeah, I’ll go with you. God only knows what kind of trouble you would get into on your own there. Are you sure there are papers from Burton there?”

“No,” Blair answered honestly. “There might be nothing there. It’s an old building that no one has lived in for years and it’s going to be torn down next month to make room for Rainier’s offsite labs. But it’s worth a look. Supposedly, Mitchell was a descendant of John Speke and Speke was a rival of Sir Richard Burton so there might be something there.”

“But haven’t people from Rainier been through the building?”

“Sure but they haven’t had a sentinel looking through the building. There may be secret rooms all over the house. Some Rainier grads found one going from the living room to the master bedroom to the guest bedroom but no others.”

“I’m sure that was so the host could visit the guest discretely,” Jim answered with a chuckle before adding, “Wouldn’t there be blueprints of the house that show the secret rooms?”

“It seems the Mitchell’s didn’t register plans so there may be rooms nobody knows about. I think they were bootleggers during the prohibition era.”

“Of course,” Jim shook his head. “But you do have permission from Rainier for us to traipse through there this weekend?”

“Yes, from the chancellor’s office. Supposedly, there’s nothing of value left in there so they don’t care if I explore as long as I agree to turn over anything of value I find. Not that they expect me to find anything. And the structure is considered sound but there’s no electricity so we’ll need to bring camping supplies.”

“Okay,” Jim agreed giving into the inevitable. “In that case we’ll go in the morning.”

“I’ll pack some supplies and food,” Blair said, his eyes lighting with excitement. “Think of it like a treasure hunt.”

“A real treasure, Burton papers,” Jim answered with mock sarcasm before picking up his newspaper but Blair could clearly hear the amusement in Jim’s voice.

***

It was quite unusual, Blair not really being a morning person, but he was up and had everything packed and the truck loaded before Jim got out of bed the next morning.

Eggs and toast were in the oven keeping warm when Jim came down the stairs a duffel bag over one shoulder. “Morning Chief,” he called as he put down his bag and moved to the coffee pot and grabbed a mug. “You’re up early,” he stated turning to look at Blair. It was easy to see how excited Blair was about their upcoming trip. Aside from a bouncy step he was all smiles.

“The early bird gets the worm,” Blair answered.

“Or the Burton papers,” Jim answered turning to the table.

“I hope so,” Blair agreed as he placed the plate on the table. “I’ve already loaded the truck so once you finish eating we can head out.”

“You’ve got directions to the place?”

“Yeah, the building is just outside of Cascade, right on the coast near US 101.”

“That’s far from Rainier. Why are they putting labs there?”

“It’s not that far,” Blair answered. “I think the area is going to be used for marine research. It is on a rocky cliff overlooking the ocean.”

Jim shrugged and finished his breakfast, Blair helping to get the kitchen cleaned up. Watching Blair, Jim could see he was very excited about their treasure hunt and Jim couldn’t help but get caught up in his enthusiasm, not that he would ever admit it. “Okay, Chief let’s go,” Jim said grabbing his duffel.

>>>

An hour later, Jim pulled up in front of the Mitchell Estate and gazed up at the old building. Blair had not exaggerated when he said it was on the edge of a cliff looking out at choppy waters below. There was nothing near the house but rocky paths that led to the cliffs and the word “harsh” came to Jim’s mind as he looked around. No autumn flowers or trees changing color were near the area and while the sound of waves crashing on the shore was usually an inviting sound, here it seemed to echo and emphasize the loneliness of the place. It was still morning but with the sun behind clouds, the area felt shrouded in gray.

Ignoring the damp, chill that closed around Jim, he glanced up at the building. The house was a large three story building that had obviously been extended over time, the additions spreading out from the center just adding to the overall dark appearance. Wooden shutters, once green but now grey and peeling, were closed on the first floor giving the building an even darker appearance and the fact that the house had no welcoming porch to sit on and gaze out at the ocean made it seem even more isolated.

“Whoever lived here definitely liked their privacy,” Jim muttered.

“It was a place the family came to when they wanted to be away from civilization,” Blair answered standing beside Jim.

“Or they were doing something illegal and didn’t want to be seen,” Jim added before grabbing his duffel bag and following Blair up the path. Climbing three little steps to the front door, Blair pulled out the key to the building.

“I’m surprised the students who cleaned out the place even locked the door,” Jim said quietly as he and Blair made their way inside.

“I guess they didn’t want squatters taking up residence,” Blair answered as his eyes moved around taking in the entryway. “Not that I think you’d find many squatters here,” he added gazing at the faded and peeling wallpaper. At one time the wallpaper might have been small pink and yellow roses but sea air and time had stained the paper turning it brown.

In front of Blair was a wooden staircase leading up to the second floor and beyond that the house divided into two wings, neither looking particularly inviting. “You okay with the dust?” Blair asked as he turned and entered what was once the living room.

“Dialed down,” Jim answered following as Blair moved straight to the window lifting the pane and pushing open the shutters to let in some light and air.

Inside the living room was an old beat up velvet sofa and several pitted and scratched armchairs as well as a small card table and folding chairs. Central to the room was a large brick fireplace, some wood still stacked beside it. “I guess we’ll have to find some tinder if we want a fire tonight,” Jim walked over and crouched down glancing up at the flue his nose wrinkling. “There’s a weird smell,” he turned and glanced around.

“A weird smell?” Blair turned from opening the windows to look over Jim. “Something dead or moldy?” he asked.

“No, more like swampy.”

“Maybe, stale sea air?” Blair questioned.

“I don't think so,” Jim shook his head.

“Is the smell coming from the fireplace? Could something have died up in the flue?”

“No,” Jim glanced around and stood. “Near the fireplace but not in the fireplace,” he added distractedly.

“Can you dial the smell down so it doesn’t bother you?” Blair walked over and Jim nodded as his eyes moved around the wall.

Blair watched Jim as he took a moment to adjust his senses. Having worked and lived with Jim for two years, Blair could tell when Jim had a handle on his sense of smell and stepped back glancing around.

“So, where’s the secret passage the students found?” Jim asked.

Blair gave a small smile. “Can’t you find it, oh great sentinel? I mean if a bunch of academics could find it-” he didn’t finish and Jim giving a long suffering sigh turned and examined the room.

“There,” he pointed to a wall near the fireplace.

Blair frowned looking at the spot. It was not the spot where the students identified a secret door leading up to the master bedroom. “Jim, could there be another door in here? That’s not the spot the students found.”

“Another?” He glanced around. “Yeah, over there by the bookcase,” Jim pointed in another direction.

“Two secret passages,” Blair mused thoughtfully. “We should find out where this one goes,” he walked over and looked at the wall. “How did you notice it?”

“That swampy smell is coming from there,” Jim answered joining Blair and glancing at the wall. “And this panel,” he pointed at a spot on the wall, “doesn’t match the others.”

Reaching out Blair tapped on the panel, hearing a hollow sound. “Do you see a lever or anything?” Blair asked.

“Um…” Jim paused and glanced around his eyes finally landing on the side of the fireplace. Behind a fan that blew hot air from the flue into the room, Jim noticed a small lever painted the same color as the brick right where the brick met the wall. Switching it, they heard a click and Blair pulled open the panel.

Immediately, Jim gasped putting a hand over his nose and stepping back.

“You okay?” Blair turned putting a hand on Jim’s arm.

“Yeah, the smell, it’s a lot stronger here.”

Blair glanced back at the darkness leading down. He could smell something unpleasant but not having sentinel senses it wasn’t affecting him as much. “Do you want to stay up here while I go look?” Blair asked, uncertainly. Going down into the gaping maw was not something he wanted to do alone but if it was giving Jim trouble, he would go it alone.

Jim glanced down into what most resembled a gaping hole, the stairs, made of jagged stone reminding him of nothing so much as teeth. He could feel cold, fetid air swirling up from down the stairs and though he could see to the bottom of the stairs and a rough stone floor, even he couldn’t pierce the darkness beyond. Some protective instinct in the back of his mind told him, HIS GUIDE SHOULD NOT GO DOWN THERE AND CERTAINLY NOT ALONE.

“No, I’ll be okay. It just took me by surprise,” he answered and heard Blair give a sigh of relief.

“Truth told,” Blair admitted with a nervous laugh, “I wasn’t too keen on going by myself.”

Jim wanted to ask if Blair felt it too, some vague sense of danger but he dismissed the idea as a flight of fancy as Blair continued, “Okay, filter out the smell, Jim,” he coaxed. “You’ve done it before.” Slowly, Jim took a breath and then nodded as Blair watched him.

“I’m good,” he announced and Blair smiled.

Turning back Blair looked at the secret passage. The passage reminded Blair of all the psychotic killer movies he had seen growing up. Every time the teens went down in the basement they were attacked. He shivered as the cold air swept up shrouding him. The word shroud making him even more uncomfortable. “Jim, maybe we should get some flashlights?” he suggested in a quiet voice.

Jim nodded his agreement. “I think that’s a good idea. I can see the bottom of the stairs but it’s darker than I would expect.”

Turning back to the equipment they had brought, Blair pulled out a battery operated camping lamp and a flashlight. Jim taking the flashlight started down the stairs, his eyes watching the slippery stone steps, one hand on the wall to keep steady. “Sandburg, be careful. These stairs are slippery,” he warned as he descended.

At the bottom he stopped, Blair just behind him and looked around, the circle of light barely illuminating a rock strewn cavern. In one corner were the remains of what had once been a still, the rusted pipes and old barrels tossed haphazardly near it. To the left was a passage and Jim could feel cool air swirling up the passage. “That way must lead to the ocean, I can feel the sea air,” he pointed the flashlight down a dark tunnel. “It was probably how they got their alcohol to the shore.”

“And that way,” Blair held up the lamp, “must have been some kind of cave in. The rocks seem to have closed off another passage.”

Jim glanced over and nodded. “Probably a storage area before shipment,” he turned back to the tunnel. “I’ll walk down the tunnel and see if I find anything,” he started forward, almost reluctantly, some instinct pulling at him to keep Blair close. For one second he turned back to look at Blair who was examining the remnants of the still. “You’ll be okay here?” he asked and Blair nodded.

“I’ll be fine. There doesn’t seem to be much down here,” he added as he walked over to the cave in glancing at the rocks. Someone had painted something on the rocks, some kind of symbol and Blair wondered if it was an epitaph for someone who had died in the cave in. Holding up the lantern, he looked over the symbol. It reminded him of a Celtic shield. It was a strange thing to have drawn on a cave wall and some part of his mind supplied the fact that the Celtic shield was used to ward off evil. It was almost as if it was there to lock something in the cave.

Shivering at the idea, he noted a small hole in the wall, about the size of a lime. Holding up the lamp, he peeked in the hole hoping to see the inner chamber and if anything might be left there. For one moment, he saw a yellow light with a black dot in the center and thinking it might be sunlight wondered if there was another entrance to the cavern maybe from somewhere out on the rocks. But then the yellow light blinked, like a devil’s eye, and with a gasp of surprise Blair took a step back.

Jim was back at his side within seconds and Blair realized Jim had been monitoring him even as he went down the tunnel. “Are you okay?” Jim asked, stopping next to Blair and Blair realized that something had the sentinel on high alert.

“Yeah, I…I thought,” he waved a hand giving a nervous laugh. “I guess it was a play of the light. I thought I saw something move on the other side of the wall.”

Walking over Jim peered through the tiny hole, seeing nothing but rocks. Holding his flashlight up to the hole he looked again but again saw nothing. “I don’t see anything and to tell the truth, I wouldn’t want to start digging here. It might bring the ceiling down on us.”

“I agree,” Blair whispered his eyes never leaving the wall. “Was there anything down the tunnel?” he asked consciously trying to calm his breathing.

“No, just an old, rusting grating at the end. It was definitely the way they moved barrels.”

Blair nodded. “I guess there’s nothing down here.”

“Just that swampy smell,” Jim agreed. “I’m way dialed down and I still smell it and I think the smell is coming from behind that rock wall.”

“Like you said, we can’t go digging” Blair said quickly before turning back to the stairs.

Upstairs, back in the daylight, Blair gave as sigh of relief before he and Jim began their explorations of the rest of the house. They moved through what was once the sitting room, the dining room and the kitchen, Jim pointing out a back staircase and guessing that it was a servants’ staircase.

Going back to the front, Jim looked at the side of the old wooden staircase and, after a moment, pushed against one of the wooden panels. It opened revealing a small, leather bound book. Reaching in, he handed the small book to Blair who opened it eagerly quickly glancing through the passages looking for any info on sentinels. “It’s a diary from one of the members of the family,” he announced as Jim turned to head up to the second floor.

Going through the bedrooms, Jim found one more secret passage that led up to the attic but no other documents. Going back to the living room, Blair made coffee on the camping stove and handed Jim sandwiches for dinner before opening the diary.

Glancing through it, Blair noted the dates and information while munching on his sandwich.

“Anything useful or interesting in the book?” Jim asked as Blair squinted at the writing using the camping light as day turned into dusk.

“I think it was written by one of the bootleggers. It’s a diary. In the beginning it’s a record of sales and things. I think the history department would find it of interest.”

“In the beginning?” Jim questioned.

“Well, I haven’t gotten all the way through it but later it’s about the man’s daughter. It seems she got pregnant out of wedlock. That’s a serous no no back then.”

“It’s not such a big surprise considering they were bootleggers. They must have kept unsavory company.” Jim titled his head listening to the house and then asked, “We went through the house today so what do you want to do tomorrow, explore outside? See if there’s any other secret areas?”

Blair, who had been reading, looked up and glanced at Jim and then around the room. “I think we’ve done all we really can around here. We didn’t find anything other than this diary. I think we should pack up and head home. That way we could sleep in our beds tonight. It’s only an hour back to Cascade.”

“You sure?” Jim questioned, surprised. “You don’t want to stay overnight?”

“No,” Blair shook his head. “I think a place with electricity, a working shower, and heat would be good and this place is obviously bothering your senses. The students really have emptied this place. I think we should head home.”

“Chief, if it’s me your worried about, I can handle the smell and noise.”

“Noise?” Blair asked quietly.

“Yeah, I keep hearing noises down that secret passage. It must be the rocks shifting, nothing is down there, unless, it’s the bogeyman,” Jim added making a spooky sound.

Blair glanced sharply at Jim remembering the yellow eye he had seen and nodded. Opening his mouth to say something about the bogeyman, he changed his mind and said, “Wind and weather coming up the tunnel is probably the cause, man, but maybe this house isn’t as sound as Rainier suggested. Let’s pack up and go.”

“If you’re sure,” Jim answered.

“Yeah, I am,” Blair quickly stood and began gathering their things. In minutes they were out the door and on their way.

As they drove, Blair couldn’t help but look at the last lines of the diary he had been reading. Written in small tight script the person had written, _“I know not what bogeyman visited my daughter upon the night but the issue of that unholy union, with its yellow eyes and fangs, must never be allowed free. I will put the spawn of the devil in the caves below and seal the cave. God grant that it never see the light of day.”_

Closing the book, Blair gave a sigh. Whether it was his imagination or not, he was glad the house would be torn down and the cave buried under steel and concrete.


End file.
